Process and device for avoiding collision while opening vehicle doors

Abstract

The opening of vehicle doors often leads to collisions with stationary obstacles that are not visible to the occupants or with moving obstacles that approach the vehicle without being noticed. Thus to avoid collisions when vehicle doors are opened, the aim of the invention is to take any modifications to the environmental situation of the vehicle as a result of a movement of the vehicle and the detected objects into consideration. This allows a collision of the vehicle doors with the objects to be reliably avoided. To achieve this, in a first step the portable trajectory of a vehicle is determnined. In an additional step, the objects in the vicinity of the vehicle are detected and probable trajectories of said detected objects are determined. Respective probability ranges are then defined both for the vehicle and the pivoting zone of the vehicle doors and for the detected objects. The probability ranges of the pivoting zones of the vehicle doors are respectively compared with the individual probability ranges of the objects, in order to determine whether they overlap. If an overlap is identified, a response; signal that indicates the risk of a collision is generated.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The invention concerns a process and device for avoiding collisions when opening vehicle doors. [0003] 2. Description of Related Art [0004] When opening the doors of a vehicle, there is always the danger of collision with stationary obstacles, which are not visible to vehicle occupants, or with moving objects, which approach the vehicle without being observed. To address this problem, environment sensor systems and driver safety systems are increasingly employed. These systems include distance warning, parking aids and backing up aids and total angle detection systems as well as separation sensors for indicating the distance of objects in the environment of the vehicle. The sensing of the environment of the vehicle occurs using ultra-sound sensors, near-and long-range radar, lidar, or with cameras with other adaptive optic sensors. A combination of multiple sensors may also be employed. [0005] DE 102 61 622 A1 descr...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] In accordance with the invention, a danger of collision can be determined, when the overlap of the probability space of the sensor areas of the vehicle doors overlaps with the probability space of the detected objects. The probability space is respectively the expected projected occupation space for the vehicle or, as the case may be, the pivot areas of the vehicle doors and for the objects at a certain point of time ti. The extrapolation of the movement path is carried out between the point in time t0, which represents the present position of the object or, as the case may be, vehicle, and up to a certain extrapolation point tx. Thereby a very precise prediction of a possible collision danger between a moving vehicle and a moving object is made possible.

[0018] For determining a collision danger, the already predicted possible occupation spaces of an object or as the case may be the vehicle, and the pivot areas of its doors, are taken into consideration. In a moving vehicle, advanced warning can be made of objects, which will possibly soon enter into the pivot area of the doors. In the case of resting objects, the driver of a moving vehicle can be warned of a danger of collision, even before a vehicle reaches a position in which the object extends into the operating space, or as the case may be, the pivot area of the vehicle doors. This has the advantage, that the object at the point in time of a possible collision need not be directly detected by the environmental sensors. It is thus not necessary to detect the space adjacent to the vehicle. Thus, sensors already present in the vehicle, such as, for example, proximity sensors of the parking aid in the bumpers, can be employed. These sensors can be incorporated centrally and in the corners of the bumpers, directed forwards or as the case may be directed rearwards.

[0031] The inventive device receives input from sensors present in the vehicle such as environment sensors and vehicle sensors. As warning means, loud speaker or warning lights could be considered, which likewise could pre-exist in the vehicle. The evaluation unit as well as the micro-processor are, as a rule are, connected via a bus system with the environment sensors, that is, the ultra-sound sensors, radar sensors or infra-red sensors or cameras. Further, the sensors of the vehicle sensors are connected to the bus. Beyond this, further sensors can also be connected, for example, sensors that recognize the opening of a door. The micro-processor can also provide a further signal to the door locking unit, in order for example to prevent an opening of the door for at least a pre-determined period of time. Also, by the provision of a suitable signal, the angle of opening of the door can be limited.

Problems solved by technology

When opening the doors of a vehicle, there is always the danger of collision with stationary obstacles, which are not visible to vehicle occupants, or with moving objects, which approach the vehicle without being observed.

The known processes have in common, that the position and movement changes of the vehicle as well as the objects are not sufficiently taken into consideration.

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